Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (1996)

Mike Nelson, Tom Servo, and Crow T. Robot bring their cable-TV
shtick to the big screen in MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000: THE
MOVIE, though with a substantially less-awful target to take aim
at. The three, who sit silhouetted at the bottom of the frame,
wisecrack their way through the cheesy 1955 classic THIS ISLAND
EARTH. From sitcoms to "Star Trek" to DR. STRANGELOVE, their
comments come from every corner of the pop-culture spectrum. More
gags fail than fly, sure, but they all contribute to an atmosphere
of mirth and merriment that lasts the duration of the film. You'll
laugh; you'll howl. (Unfortunately, the other sequences-- those
set in the dog bone-shaped space station, where the characters
live, breathe, and watch movies-- are cheap-looking and largely
unfunny.) The best part of MST3K: THE MOVIE is that the humor
lacks either a mean-spirited or condescending edge. The writers
don't attempt to outsmart the viewer; instead, they invite us to
laugh along with them. They know, as we do, that bad movies are
best heckled at. (Rated "PG-13"/74 min.)
Grade: B
Copyright 1996 by Michael J. Legeros